Shirohige Shenanigans
by chidori-blossom237
Summary: MarcoXAce pairing. A series of short stories telling of some adventures of the Whitebeard Pirates, particularly Ace and Marco. Set to ignore the cruel world of cannon - Ace alive!
1. Wheelbarrow

**Hi guys. It's been a long time since I uploaded anything here. I'm hoping to start writing more little One Piece fanfics, so please let me know what you think of them and be nice. Do you think this project is worth me continuing? Please let me know :)**

* * *

 **Shirohige Shenanigans 01 - Wheelbarrow**

It was a calm day in the New World as the Moby Dick sailed smoothly through crystal clear waters, her canvasses full and heavy with a refreshing summer breeze. Below her great masts members of her large crew bustled about excitedly, preparing for the landing they would be making in a few short hours at the upcoming island.

Well within their territory, only the most foolish of marines and enemy pirate captains would dare attempt these waters, leaving the wide expanse of open ocean empty for Whitebeard's crew to enjoy unhindered. Those on duty hurried to organise empty cargo boxes and pallets, as they were scheduled to make a short stop to replenish some of their supplies.

With such a large crew and so many mouths to feed, the inhabitants of each island within Whitebeard's territory were more than happy to lease some of their land for crops and farming that would keep the crew fed. In return for these services Whitebeard offered the people protection, and also brought in money and trade that helped support the communities. They never abused their position and took without giving something back - that was not the Whitebeard Pirate way. At least, not with their allies.

Whitebeard watched in amusement from his chair up on the figurehead as his sons went about their tasks, working together like a well oiled machine. The sight made his chest swell with pride, though the wizened old man knew that the peace would not last long.

As the head chef on the crew and the one in control of the supply list, Thatch was doing a good job of checking everything was in order for the landing. It was one of the few times when the man was more serious, reining in his prankster nature until he could get the job done. This rare display of maturity however did not extend to all members of the crew, as Whitebeard soon witnessed.

Two of his youngest sons, Ace and Haruta, had disappeared not too long ago after Thatch had tried to give them a job to do, and as their loud and excited voices carried across the deck, Whitebeard knew they weren't far away. They appeared at the top of the steps towards the back of the ship with one of the carts used for transporting supplies, with Haruta sat inside and Ace pushing it from behind.

"No no no! Not the stairs!" Haruta yelled, gripping the sides of the cart for dear life. Behind him Ace cackled manically, ignoring his friend as the stairway loomed ever closer. Thatch looked round just in time to see his missing goods cart tip over the top stair and bounce down with Haruta screaming "Ay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ace," and one thoroughly amused fire logia user wailing in delight behind him.

"Ace!" Thatch shouted, marching over as the cart swerved at the bottom and came to a stop half way down the deck, courtesy of Jozu's hand. "You lunatic, what are you doing now?! I asked you to help, not commandeer and race around in one of the kitchen carts!"

Ace stood up straight and fixed his hat on his head. "Oh come on Thatch, it's just a bit of fun," he told the fourth division commander. "I can't help it. We're finally landing at a new island I've never been to before! I'm too excited to work."

Thatch jabbed his pen against the younger man's nose. "Are you too excited to eat then?" He asked pointedly. "Because I'll ban you from the galley if you don't stop messing around."

Ace pouted. "That's not fair, but I'll just ask Marco to sneak me some-"

"I'll ban him too if you do that!" Thatch threatened. "And then you'll have to deal with him being annoyed with you and getting all the night shifts."

"I told you he'd shout at us," Haruta stage whispered from the cart. "This is the only time Thatch is serious."

Ace shoved his hands in his pockets and looked away. "You're so boring Thatch."

The chef blinked, letting his mouth drop open as he stared at the second division commander. "I-I'm not boring!" he exclaimed. "I'm just trying to get things done. You're not the only one who's excited to go ashore Ace."

"Oi, oi," a rather lazy voice called as footsteps crossed the deck. Thatch turned to see Marco walking up to them, looking bored as ever. "What's the hold up?" the blonde asked, before raising an eyebrow at Ace and Haruta in the cart. "We're almost at port. Get out of there yoi."

Haruta smiled sheepishly and wriggled awkwardly out of the cart, aided a little by Ace. "Sorry Marco."

The blonde turned to Thatch, having already lost interest. "Oyaji has asked me to run a few errands in the town, so once I'm finished with them I'll come and see how you're all doing."

Thatch smirked. "No worries, I'll have everything under control," he announced.

Ace pouted as he was more or less ignored, fidgeting a little where he stood in the hopes that Marco would take notice of him. The zoan user however continued to ignore the logia's futile attempts, instead turning away and heading back towards the commanders' quarters, probably to continue his paperwork.

Ace moved to follow, only to find his plans foiled by a certain chef's arm blocking his path. "I wouldn't," Thatch advised. "Marco probably has loads still to do so you should leave him be for now."

The fire user shoved his hands into his pockets sulkily. "Still doesn't mean he should just completely blank me. A simple hello would have sufficed." He snorted. "I would even have taken a 'yoi'."

Thatch snorted quietly in amusement, returning his attention to the clipboard still in his hand. "I'm sure you'll have his undivided attention later once the supply run is over. Now go put that cart back where you got it and come help with the pallets."

Ace grumbled in complaint before reluctantly moving to do so.

* * *

Marco sighed as he walked through the bustling little town, raising a hand to shield his eyes from the glaring sunlight. He was on his way back from meeting with some of oyaji's old associates, regarding a quarrel over land, and boy had it been tedious.

While the Whitebeard pirates were in control of these waters and had set a claim on the island as part of their territory, other than when defending it they tried to avoid getting caught up in ownership disputes. Local politics was a nuisance that Marco had no patience for, and he'd just spent the best part of three hours listening to two old men arguing over a single field. One kept livestock on it while the other claimed it actually belonged to him, and so wanted the animals removed so he could build a new house for his daughter.

Marco had exhausted all his diplomatic skills before eventually caving to his temper and giving the two stubborn fools an ultimatum; either come to an agreement or hand the fate of the field in question over to Marco. In the end neither party had been able to agree, leaving him with no other choice but to resort to desperation. A simple coin toss had decided in favour of the current user of the field with the livestock, resulting in the loser expressing his displeasure loudly and rather colourfully in Marco's ear. Now he had a headache, next to no thanks for his troubles, and a ship full of crew mates and new supplies to organise before he had any hope of a peaceful night's sleep.

Grumbling an exasperated sigh, the blonde weaved his way out of the crowd of people and turned off the main street of the town, taking a far more quiet dirt track up a hill and towards one of the farms. Thatch was hopefully almost finished gathering fresh fruit and vegetables to take back to the ship, so Marco might as well follow his own word and check up on things. It wouldn't do any harm.

The wide rolling expanse of fields opened out to him as he reached the crest of the hill, immediately spotting his crewmate and brother loading a box of potatoes onto the back of a horse drawn cart. Some members of Thatch's division were still hard at work extracting more tasty morsels from the generous earth, and Marco knew this was not the first cart to be filled today.

"How's it going yoi?" he asked, stopping to pat the horse's neck as Thatch turned to him. The chef grinned and dusted his hands together.

"Nearly done now," he replied. "The second division are helping finish off this last field, and then we're good to go." He tilted his head with an amused smirk. "How did it go playing referee?"

Marco grunted and looked away, vaguely admiring a pleasant looking pond off to the right as a frog croaked on its edge. "Don't even ask; it was a complete waste of time. Part of me wanted them to start throwing punches just so it would be over quickly. But no such luck."

Thatch chuckled and patted Marco on the back, then slung an arm round his shoulders and turned them both away from the horse and cart. "You know oyaji wouldn't have sent you if he thought someone else could handle it," he pointed out as the two wandered aimlessly towards the pond. "Remember what happened when Izo was sent once before? He nearly shot the pair that were arguing and made the whole situation even worse than it was beforehand."

Marco gave him a pointed look. "That was over a man sleeping with someone else's wife though, not a damn field yoi."

Thatch laughed. "What can I say, a lot of things mean a lot to the people here. Even fields."

Marco grunted again. "Well I couldn't care less right now. The sooner we're back out at sea the better."

The fourth division commander stopped them both, releasing Marco's shoulders and turning to face him. "Hold up, we only just got here. The crew needs at least one night off ship to blow off some steam."

"And they'll have that night yoi," Marco assured him. "But as soon as my duties are complete I'm heading back to the Moby and going to bed. I've had enough today."

"Oh?" Thatch asked, his tone lifting as his brother caught his full curiosity. "And what about Ace? What if he wants to stay out?"

This time Marco scowled at his brother. "Then I'll do nothing to stop him. Stop poking your nose in my business yoi."

"Ooh, someone is on a short fuse today," Thatch teased. "What's the matter Marco? Duty keeping you away from your love life?"

"Any more of that and you're going in the pond," the blonde threatened, determined not to rise to Thatch's baiting. The chef meant well and was only having some harmless fun, but right now the first division commander was far from being in the mood for his teasing.

Thatch laughed and patted him on the shoulder again, going on to say something else that Marco immediately stopped listening to. A faint creaking sound caught his attention from somewhere nearby, sounding like the turning of an old wheel of some sort. Then hurried footsteps joined the fray, and suddenly a loud voice.

"Hey watch out!"

"Ace!" Thatch shouted.

Marco turned just a second too late to react to the oncoming threat, and grunted as a wheelbarrow full of potatoes collided with the back of his legs. Landing awkwardly across the load he gripped the sides instinctively, dimly hearing Ace curse at the handlebars behind him as he tried to get the runaway contraption back under his control.

The wheel squeaked and bounced beneath the combined weight of the potatoes and now the first division commander, its inertia careening it out of control down the steep banking and straight into the pond. Marco was thrown under first as the front of the barrow crashed into the water, the force flipping it over and catapulting Ace clean over the top of it and further into the pond. The shallow water quickly turned muddy as the two devil fruit users flailed wildly, while up on the banking Thatch dissolved into tears of hysterics.

"Oh god, where's a camera when you need one?" he exclaimed, doubling over and cackling as both Ace and Marco spluttered towards the edge of the pond, thankfully in no danger of drowning due to the relatively shallow depths.

"What the hell are you playing at yoi?!" Marco demanded, turning to glare at Ace as they both crawled out of the water. "Why didn't you warn me sooner?"

"I thought I could stop it in time," Ace retorted, spitting out a mouthful of pond mud. "The idea was to catch you in the barrow."

"And why on earth would you want to do that?" Marco asked, shaking some weird slimy green sludge from his hair.

"Because you ignored me this morning," Ace pouted. "Back on the ship."

Marco turned and smacked the second division commander on the back of the head. "So you retaliate by running me down with a wheelbarrow?!" He practically screeched.

"I told you it wasn't meant to happen like that!" Ace protested, ducking away as Marco took another swipe at him.

While all this was going on Thatch had dropped to his knees, failing miserably to contain his mad cackling as he gripped his sides. "I can't wait to tell oyaji!"

"No!" Marco yelled.

* * *

The crew was in an uproar of hilarity and jokes as the sodden first and second division commanders stood in the centre of the deck a short while later, having returned from their misadventures up in the fields soaked to the bone and filthy from pond water and mud. Whitebeard sat in his chair, head thrown back with his booming laughter at the sight before him. His sons never ceased to amaze, or in this case amuse him. Marco looked seriously put out for a man normally so stoic faced, and Ace's cheeks burned a deep crimson with embarrassment.

"I knew you two were dirty, but this just takes the cake," Izo called, sniggering behind a delicate fan in his hand.

"Shut up!" Ace and Marco shouted together, which in turn drew more hysterics from their family.

"I see you've had quite an adventure my sons," Whitebeard mused, looking back down at them again with a smile and fond sparkle in his eyes.

"It's Ace's fault oyaji," Marco told him petulantly. "He damn well nearly ran me over."

"Oyaji, it was an accident," Ace defended himself. "Dumb Marco didn't move in time."

The blonde turned his head so fast his neck cracked. "'Dumb' Marco?!"

Whitebeard raised a hand to stop them from arguing. "Alright, enough of that," he told them both, settling down from his own mirth now. "The main thing is no one was hurt. Now do your old man a favour and go shower. I can smell the pair of you from here."

Another chorus of laughter enveloped the ship as Marco and Ace turned away, disappearing below deck and towards the commanders' showers. Marco threw off his stinking clothes in a hurry, giving his favourite sash one sorrowful look before stepping under the hot spray of water. He didn't notice Ace joining him until a few seconds later, when a hand lifted to his hair from behind him and began to massage shampoo into the blonde strands.

Allowing himself a quiet sigh, Marco calmed at the touch and turned to face the younger man. As infuriating as Ace could be at times, the phoenix still loved him, disasters and all.

"You owe me for that yoi," he grumbled, closing an eye as soap suds rolled down over it from his hair.

Ace smiled, rinsing off one hand and carefully wiping the offending white bubbles from his partner's face, being sure that none of it got in his eye. "It is kinda funny if you think about it," he said with a grin, ignoring Marco's unimpressed growl. "I've never seen you flail around like that before. I would have laughed if I wasn't too busy half drowning."

Marco scowled. "And whose fault is that?" he asked pointedly.

Ace rolled his eyes. "Mine, I know." Finishing with the shampoo, he let Marco rinse the suds from his hair under the hot spray, then leaned up and pecked him on the cheek. "But you still forgive me right?" he asked, tilting his head in the adoring way he knew his lover couldn't resist.

Knowing he had just lost the argument with that one gesture, Marco sighed and leaned their foreheads together. "I suppose so," he admitted reluctantly, even as a smirk crept onto his lips. "But you messed up my favourite sash, so I at least expect some compensation."

Ace grinned and stepped closer, their chests coming together as he brushed Marco's lips delicately with his own. "I think I can arrange that," he purred, smiling as he felt Marco's hands come to rest on his hips. "Most of the crew will be out tonight partying in town. We'll practically have the ship to ourselves."

Marco grinned, very much liking that idea already. "Then who am I to resist," he replied, taking a moment to indulge in a sweet kiss between them. "But do me a favour Ace."

The freckled man tilted his head again, lightly nipping his bottom lip as he gazed up at Marco. "What's that?"

Marco's grin turned into a smirk. "Next time you decide to mess around with wheelbarrows, knock Thatch in the pond."

* * *

 **Hopefully you enjoyed that. Please drop me a review if you'd like more :)**


	2. Bouncy Ball

**Hi again everyone. Sorry it's been a little while since I put up the first chapter - I've had a lot of things going on. Anyway, here is chapter 2, and I hope you enjoy it. Special thanks to LongPastMidnight, MagicalKitsune, ToLazyToLogIn and poemado for reviewing chapter 1 - it made me really happy :)**

* * *

 **Shirohige Shenanigans 02 - Bouncy Ball**

The light scratching of Marco's pen on paper filled his cabin, as the first division commander dutifully worked on his last stack of forms for the day. It was another fairly uneventful afternoon on the Moby Dick, which was currently carrying roughly half of her crew as opposed to her usual complement. The halls were quiet, the decks peaceful, and the galley for once was tidy.

Whitebeard and Jozu had left on their sister ship the previous day with a large portion of the crew, to check on a nearby island. While their captain was away, responsibility of commanding the Moby Dick fell to Marco. So far nothing out of the ordinary had happened, and the blonde was glad for the brief pause so he could tend to his duties at his leisure.

 _Thump! Thump, thump, thump-thump-thump-thump-thump._

Marco lifted his head and looked towards his door. "What the hell yoi?" he asked himself, raising an eyebrow as he heard hurried footsteps rushing past outside.

"Ace, you got it?" Haruta's voice called.

"Yeah, I'm coming back up."

Marco sighed. He might have known his hyperactive boyfriend had something to do with it, whatever _it_ was. Deciding that it was a perfect excuse to take a quick break from his work, Marco pushed his chair back from his desk and got to his feet. He stepped out of his room just in time to see Ace disappearing back upstairs towards the main deck. But what was he up to? It was time to find out.

The fresh ocean air greeted him gently as he stepped up into the sunshine, and for a moment there was no sign of either Ace or Haruta around the deck. Izo was there though, lounging on a chair rather comfortably with a book in his hand. Marco almost rolled his eyes as he approached him. "It's nice to see I'm not the only one working hard yoi," he commented.

Izo chuckled as he turned a page. "Is that sarcasm I hear, oh brother mine?" the okama asked, reaching for a glass of lemonade that was perched on a small table beside him; the ice clinked against the glass with his movement. "You really should get out of that habit. The new recruits always struggle to figure it out."

Marco folded his arms with a patient sigh. "That's precisely why I don't deal with the new recruits directly. Vista is far more patient for that sort of thing."

"And you're always terrified we might take on new phoenix fanboys," Izo smirked.

Now Marco was scowling - Izo really did enjoy winding him up. "Have you seen Ace?" he asked curtly, hoping to change the subject.

Izo hummed as he sipped his lemonade. "Oh, fanboy number one?"

"He's my boyfriend yoi," Marco ground out. "It's different."

"Whatever you say dear brother," Izo smiled. "I think he's messing around with Haruta somewhere towards the bow. I wasn't really paying attention, but they were laughing about something."

Marco grunted and turned away, heading to the front of the ship and purposefully ignoring Izo's cheerful farewell. Honestly he couldn't wait until oyaji got back, just so he could have someone to moan to about how annoying Izo could be. Sitting in his stupid chair, reading his stupid book, making his stupid comments. Marco wasn't afraid of new recruits, and Ace most certainly wasn't a fanboy. That whole conversation had just been a stupid waste of time.

The first division commander paused, an image of Whitebeard coming into his head, chuckling at him and telling him not to sulk over petty matters. Marco was a grown man for heaven's sake; he shouldn't let Izo reduce him to a petulant child with only a few words… Stupid Izo. Marco hoped he choked on an ice-cube!

Heading down the stairs toward the main deck, the first division commander found several members of the crew standing round the centre ring, tossing something back and forth between each other. Ace was one of them, standing with his back to Marco, and the blonde quickly realised it was a bright green rubber ball that had them all so interested. Well that explained the strange thumping sound he'd heard outside his room; it had been the bounce.

"Where did that come from yoi?" he asked, drawing several people's attention. The freckled second division commander smiled brightly as he looked round.

"Marco," he greeted. "Thatch found it in one of the potato boxes in the kitchen. A kid must have lost it when we were loading up at the last island."

Marco hummed, satisfied that his minor mystery had been solved and he'd had an excuse to stretch his legs. But now that he knew it was nothing more than a bouncy ball, he had work to return to. "Just be careful where you're throwing it yoi," he advised with a small smile. "It'll be a pain if a window gets broken."

Ace grinned. "Don't worry, nothing will get broken. I promise."

"Famous last words," Vista commented, standing watching from the starboard rail. Marco grunted and then returned to his room to carry on with his paperwork.

* * *

The first division commander didn't emerge from his room again until a couple of hours later, by which point the dinner bell had long since been rung and most of the crew had rushed to the galley for food. Marco knew that Thatch was on kitchen duty that day though, and the pompadour man always made sure that a portion was saved for him, knowing how busy the phoenix could be. Sometimes Ace would bring food to Marco in their room if he left it too late, but it seemed today that the fire user was otherwise preoccupied. Marco didn't mind though, and stepped into the galley looking forward to whatever meal had been prepared for them today.

He paused just inside the doorway as there was a sudden cheer, raising an eyebrow curiously at a group of crewmembers all gathered round one of the far tables. A single mug was sat on its surface, and everyone was clapping and moving excitedly around it. Well, almost everyone. Marco had no idea what was going on, but Vista looked impossibly smug as he stood in the middle of the galley, and Thatch was staring into the mug in devastation.

"Ha, that's fifteen table bounces Thatch!" Haruta cheered. "You've got Vista's paperwork for the next week."

"No, that's not fair!" Thatch exclaimed, and Marco saw Haruta remove the green ball from the mug. "That's gotta be some kind of fluke. He was just lucky."

"Ha!" Vista laughed. "Who needs luck when you've got talent?"

There was a chorus of laughter directed at the chef, and Marco moved into the galley, stopping beside Vista. "They got you involved in this Vista?" he asked in surprise, looking up at the taller man in mild amusement. Vista was normally the kind to stand by and watch from the sidelines, rather than join in on whatever chaos other crewmates were up to. It was nice in a way to see him participating in an activity.

"Ah Marco," Vista greeted. "Yes, Thatch goaded me into trying, though I guess he regrets it now. They've been bouncing that ball across the tables and into that mug since the first dinner bell rang, and then they started betting chores and paperwork. I saw an opportunity, so I took it."

Marco nodded, amused by the still broken expression on Thatch's face. "Quite right," he agreed. "Oi Thatch! Any chance of getting some dinner yoi? Preferably before you start all that paperwork."

The chef looked up and scowled at the first division commander. "No need to rub it in Marco," he complained, getting to his feet. "I'll get your food."

"Marco," Ace said cheerfully, trotting over as the blonde sat down at his favourite table. Ace quickly slid onto the bench beside him, pressing their shoulder's together in affectionate greeting. "You should have come by sooner. Everyone's getting really competitive, and Vista just beat the record with fifteen bounces into the mug."

"I heard yoi," Marco replied, smiling in spite of himself as he watched his boyfriend. Ace's eyes were sparkling with excitement, and Marco just loved to see him looking so happy.

It was hard to believe that he was the same hot headed young pirate who had been taken aboard after losing to oyaji, foul mouthed and feral as he'd gone on a murderous rampage against the Yonko. Now he was like a completely different person, and Marco was so grateful that he had played a small part in convincing Ace to stay with them and take their mark. He couldn't imagine life on the Moby Dick without him, and he didn't ever want to.

"You should have a shot too," Ace said, hoping to convince his partner into a game. "I bet you'd be really good at it. You could even bet your paperwork on someone." He shifted closer to whisper in the blonde's ear. "Then we could have loads more quality time together," he suggested smoothly, a hand sliding gently up Marco's inner thigh.

Marco shuddered, trying not to let his thoughts go straight into the gutter, and caught Ace's wrist. "Behave yoi," he said quietly, pulling his boyfriend's hand away and looking at his now pouting face. He smiled. "As it happens, I've already finished all my paperwork for today. So let me have dinner, and then we can have as much quality time together as we want."

Ace seemed to consider this offer, smiling again as he nodded his approval. "That sounds fine," he agreed. "But you have to promise me."

Marco rolled his eyes. "Fine, fine," he agreed, knowing better than to argue with his stubborn partner. "I promise. But the ball stays out-"

 _Bang. Clatter. Smash!_

"Haruta!"

"Sorry Thatch!"

The galley fell into a dead silence, save only for the light chinking sounds as the ball rolled through the remnants of an entire stack of dishes - now no more than a shattered mess spread out across the kitchen floor.

Having been too enthusiastic in his attempt to beat Vista's new record, Haruta had thrown the ball with incredible force, causing it to bounce across the tables, clean over Thatch's pompadour head and in through the service hatch of the kitchen. There it had struck a wall, changed its trajectory and ploughed head on into the stack of freshly washed plates, bowls and glasses, toppling them over the edge of the counter and down to the floor to meet their demise.

"Uh-oh," Ace murmured beside Marco. "Looks like Thatch is about to blow a fuse."

Marco raised an eyebrow. "Can you really blame him?"

"HARUTA! You're dead meat!"

"I said I was sorry!"

Marco quickly moved to intercept before Thatch could start carving Haruta up with any steak knives, or even his own swords. The Whitebeard Pirates were known for many things in the New World, but cannibalism was not one of them.

* * *

"Anyone wanna play catch?" a member of the second division asked, trotting out into the middle of the deck and trying to convince his ship mates to join him.

It was a new day and Marco was immensely looking forward to the return of Oyaji and the others, just so he could get a bit of a break from what was now more like school playground supervision than commanding a pirate ship full of grown men.

Sitting perched on the railing, he watched with disdain as several others got up and the wretched green ball started flying back and forth through the air. Beside the first division commander, Thatch also eyed the ball warily.

"If that thing goes anywhere near my kitchen," he said, shuddering at the thought of more smashed plates, "heads will roll."

Marco snorted. "How long do you intend to keep Haruta down there anyway yoi? He was up all night cleaning."

"As long as it takes for him to learn his lesson," Thatch replied with a shrug. "You can't talk. You've had some of the crew swabbing the decks for less."

Marco grunted and turned back to watching the game, noticing Ace trotting over to join his fellow crew mates with a bright smile on his face. That look alone eased a smile onto Marco's own lips, and he relaxed a little as he observed his boyfriend having a good time.

"Just be careful you lot," he called. "We don't need a repeat of yesterday."

"You worry too much," a member of Marco's division told him, and the blonde folded his arms as there was some light hearted laughter directed his way. Sometimes he felt less like a brother to his ship mates, and more like a second father. It was almost ironic that he'd ended up in a relationship with one of the most childish members of the crew.

"Think of it this way," Thatch said, interrupting Marco's thought process. "At least out on deck they're less likely to break something."

"Oh I feel loads better," Marco deadpanned. "Seriously yoi? You know what this lot are like."

As if to prove his point, before their very eyes the next incident was already brewing. One of Thatch's men threw the ball with extra force to bounce it off the deck, and it sailed clean over Ace's head on the opposite side of the circle.

"I got it!" the fire user called, keeping his eyes high to follow the ball's flight path. It disappeared over the railing just as Ace reached it, plummeting down into the water below. "Ball overboard!" Ace yelled, continuing his pursuit and vaulting over the railing to retrieve it. He realised his mistake a split second too late. "Man overboard! Man over-!"

He hit the water with a loud splash, spurring everyone into immediate action as they ran towards the rail.

"Ace!"

"Can you see him?"

"He can't swim, remember!"

"Someone get a life raft!"

Marco shoved his way through to the front of the crowd, blue flames flowing down his arms and morphing into wings as he went. "Stand aside!" he ordered sharply, hopping up onto the rail just in time to see the ripples of Ace's impact disappear.

The first division commander cursed - he'd hoped Ace might have been able to grab on to the side of the hull, as he had done a few times in the past. Today however he had not been so lucky, leaving Marco unable to fly down to his rescue. Only the ball and now Ace's hat could be seen floating on the surface. Ace was gone, sinking like an anchor towards the ocean floor.

"Namur," Marco called, and the fishman was suddenly diving over the edge to retrieve their lost crew member.

"On it," he replied, disappearing with a small splash beneath the waves.

"Hold her steady," Marco instructed his men, taking flight to oversee the rescue from a better vantage point. It was only a few more seconds before Namur reappeared, a coughing and spluttering Ace hanging over his back - a bit cold and wet but very much alive.

Knowing that there was nothing more to worry about, Marco waited until he saw Thatch having the ladder lowered for the two, then turned his attention towards the Moby Dick's wake. Ace's hat was still just managing to cling to the surface in the wash of the massive ship, though the treated leather was now water logged and looking rather limp.

Ace would be devastated if he lost his beloved hat, his only keepsake from home that had apparently been gifted to him by the woman who'd raised him (her name escaped Marco in that moment).

With a sigh the first division commander swooped down and morphed one of his feet into talons, using them to delicately pluck the hat from its near watery grave. As he did, another object caught his attention - the ball was still there too…

Landing back on deck a minute later, Marco let his flames recede and moved towards the group of men gathered in the centre, surrounding Ace who was now sat safely on the floor. Izo had hurried off to get a towel that was now hanging round the second division commander's shoulders, and he was still lightly gagging salt water as Thatch patted his back.

"Honestly Ace, you need to think before you act," the chef chided lightly. "You just about gave us all grey hairs there."

"I know," Ace spluttered, using a corner of the towel to dry his face. "I just got so into the game that I forgot."

Marco stopped in front of him and all the chatter came to an abrupt halt. "Forgot?" the blonde asked in disbelief. "Forgot?! Ace, if we hadn't all been out here you would have drowned! It's lucky for you that Namur was here and not in his bunk, or he might not have found you in time."

The fishman snorted quietly. "Yes I would ha-" He stopped quickly as he caught Marco's glare. Now was definitely not the time to be making light of the situation. Not when the most powerful man currently on the ship was in such a bad mood; he had just watched his partner nearly drown through their own stupidity, so of course Marco was going to be upset.

Sensing that a quiet word was needed between first and second commanders, Thatch and Izo began to usher the rest of the men away, giving Marco and Ace a bit of space to breathe and calm themselves down.

"It was an accident," Ace tried quietly, realizing Marco's anger and understanding it fully. "I was just having fun." He kept his gaze downward, and blinked as his hat was placed on the deck in front of him.

Marco sighed and straightened. "I know that yoi," he said, his tone calmer now. "But don't ever become complacent Ace. We're out at sea, and even if there are no enemies around us accidents can still happen." He paused, eyes softening at the crestfallen look on Ace's face; it didn't suit him at all. "Promise me you'll be more careful in future."

The younger man lifted his head and peered at Marco through his sodden bangs, blinking through the salty drops on his lashes and in the brightness of the sun. Marco had to remind himself in that moment that the kid was twenty; Ace always looked far younger when he was feeling down or vulnerable.

"I promise," he said quietly. "And I'm sorry Marco. I'll be sure to think more in future."

Feeling his heart melt at the sight, Marco sighed and crouched down on his knees, lifting the edges of the towel and wrapping it further around his boyfriend. "It's okay," he said gently, forgiving Ace now that his own fear had subsided. "I know you didn't mean it yoi. You're many things Ace, but suicidal definitely isn't one of them."

He watched as Ace reached carefully for his hat, and then helped him to his feet. "Come on yoi, lecture over. Let's go below deck and you can warm up in the shower. Devil fruit flames don't do much warming when you're still dripping with sea water."

Ace smiled and nodded, holding his hat close and sticking even closer to Marco as the pair of them headed towards the cabin doors. Lesson learned, he began to chatter away with his usual enthusiasm about Marco rescuing his hat, and forgot all about the reason for his impromptu dip in the sea.

Later that night as Ace slept, Marco saw to it that the ball was safely disappeared into the back of a drawer in his desk, where it would remain until such a time that it could be safely revealed to the men. Marco would have no problem with them playing with it if they stopped at an island where no one could drown and no plates could be smashed, but until then it would remain under lock and key.

* * *

 **And so we reach the end of the second chapter - please let me know how you enjoyed it and I will begin work on the third :)**


	3. Earrings

**Hi guys, I'm back again. So I decided to write this piece for Marco's birthday, but unfortunately I was just a little bit late in uploading it. Still, happy birthday Marco! Anyway, thanks to everyone who left me such lovely reviews last time :)**

* * *

 **Shirohige Shenanigans 03 - Earrings**

Ace drew in a deep breath and tried to ignore the incessant rumbling in his belly, as he followed Thatch through the busy marketplace full of mouth watering food. The Whitebeard pirates had stopped off at one of their protected islands to resupply, while also completing some much needed repair work to the Moby Dick in the port.

As the men worked together in various groups that Jozu had assigned, Thatch had taken it upon himself to steal Ace away for the afternoon. The fire user had freakish physical strength that could be put to good use pulling the food cart, and frankly Thatch had felt just a little bit sorry for him earlier.

Ace had been moping around for the last two days before they'd reached the island, doing an absolutely terrible job at hiding his crestfallen mood and pouting face whenever his eyes had lifted skywards.

Marco had set off on an important mission for Whitebeard three nights previously, leaving his boyfriend behind on the ship to await his return. The first night had been no problem for Ace; Thatch suspected the second division commander had taken the opportunity to rearrange his shared cabin with the phoenix during his absence, and probably made one hell of a mess of it. But by the time the second night had rolled around the novelty must have worn off, and Ace had taken to sulking.

Not one for letting any member of his family get left alone to feel depressed, Thatch had seized his chance and grabbed Ace by the cord of his hat, yanking him down the gangway and off into town without a word of warning (he hadn't been doing anything anyway).

Now the pleasant aromas of local cooking and baking were flooding the streets, putting a huge grin back on the younger man's face, along with the occasional dribble. Thatch laughed and gave himself an imaginary pat on the back as a reward, but made sure to keep an eye on the second division commander as he stopped to browse a herbs and spices stall.

"Don't go wandering off anywhere Ace," the chef advised, selecting a small jar of saffron and adding it to the basket he was carrying once he'd paid the seller. "We only have a set amount of money and I can't afford covering any extras if you get peckish."

The freckled man shook himself out of his daze to pout at his friend. "What do you mean ' _if'_?" he asked, feeling his stomach rumble yet again and almost wincing. "I'm _always_ peckish. No, scratch that, I'm _starving_!"

Thatch rolled his eyes and waved for him to follow to another stall. "Tell me something I don't know," he muttered. "Honestly, shouldn't you be thinking about something other than food right now? Like perhaps a certain date that's coming up tomorrow?"

Ace paused, tilting his head in a show of confusion very similar to his younger brother. "Say what now?" he asked.

Thatch sighed, reaching over to have a feel of some different fruits, while vaguely considering what he might do with them. "Tomorrow," he repeated, reaching for his money and pointing at a crate of melons - Ace reluctantly moved to place them in the cart. "October fifth."

Dumping the bright yellow fruits into the cart, Ace turned and gave Thatch a weird look. "What about it? Someone's birthday or something?"

There were always a lot of birthdays on the Moby Dick, what with her having such a large crew. Most of the time a huge party was thrown to celebrate those born during each month; only occasionally were any held for a specific individual. The captain obviously had that right, but Ace knew Oyaji's birthday was in April so it couldn't be him. One of the commanders then - that had to be it. But which one?

"Yes, but I'm asking you who," Thatch told Ace patiently, reaching into his basket to check his shopping list and stroke off what they'd already purchased. "Have a really good think."

Ace let out a strangled sound and briefly entertained the idea of stamping his foot. "I don't know. Just tell me already."

"You're not even going to try?" Thatch questioned him. "Tut-tut Ace. And you call yourself a commander of the Whitebeard Pirates. You should know the birthdates of all your comrades, particularly ones of significance such as this."

Ace scowled at him. "There are over a thousand of us," he deadpanned. "Forgive me for forgetting one."

"This could ruin your image as a caring member of our crew," Thatch continued dramatically, in a manner not unlike Izo's. "How will your division be able to confide in you if you let something like this happen?"

"Says the one carrying a damn basket under his arm!" Ace exclaimed, causing several people to pause and stare at him. "Throw that stupid shawl over your head and you'll look like an old grandma doing her weekly shop! Then who needs to worry about their image?"

Blinking at the insult Thatch turned and flicked Ace on the forehead, causing the fire user to wince and take a step back. "For your information it's called a foulard, not a shawl," he corrected. "And second, Izo gave me this basket to carry smaller items. Regardless of how it looks it works."

Ace pulled a face and looked away, rubbing the slightly red mark in the middle of his forehead. "Might have known Izo was involved somehow," he muttered.

"Involved in what?" Thatch asked, before raising a hand and shaking his head. "You know what, nevermind. You're just trying to change the subject." He suddenly set a strange look on Ace, making the logia user fidget awkwardly where he stood. "You really have no idea, do you."

"No!" Ace exclaimed quietly, this time at least managing to keep his voice down a little. "I don't. So will you just tell me already."

Thatch sighed and beckoned him to follow with the cart, heading towards a promising looking meat stall next. "It's Marco's, you oaf. Of _all_ the birthdays for you to forget, it had to be that one."

Ace froze, eyes widening comically as the realisation dawned on him. Marco. Of course! How could he be so stupid? He'd completely forgotten about his own _boyfriend's_ birthday!

"Shit. It's that soon?"

"No i just made it up," Thatch responded sarcastically. "Yes, it's that soon. I can't believe you forgot."

A frown appeared across Ace's face again as he thought back, trying to recall Marco's previous birthday celebration. He was stunned to find that he couldn't. Oh god, was he really that terrible a person?!

"I- I don't remember his party," the second division commander stammered in alarm, gripping his hat tightly between his fingers and yanking it down over his head. "I don't remember any of them! What the hell?"

Unconcerned by his nakama's rising panic, Thatch pointed to a large joint of lamb beneath the plastic covering of the meat stall, nodding as the owner reached in to retrieve it. "I can't say I'm surprised by that," the chef commented, ignoring Ace's mental breakdown behind him. "After all you've only been with us for three years. The first one you were too hell bent on killing Oyaji to take notice of anything else, and for the last two Marco was away on missions until after his birthday had passed."

Panic stopping abruptly, Ace glanced over his shoulder, a glimmer of relief shining in his eyes. "So, it's kinda forgivable that I didn't know?" he asked hopefully.

Thatch unfortunately wasn't prepared to let Ace off so easy. "Not really. You _are_ his partner after all so that's pretty inexcusable, if you ask me." Ace immediately wilted. "But you still have time to redeem yourself."

"Really? How?"

Again, Thatch found himself rolling his eyes. "By buying him a present of course. You've got a day left. Better be quick though - he's due home tonight."

The hope returned to Ace's eyes as his face lit up, before slowly morphing into a look of panic once again. Marco was coming back tonight. That meant Ace not only had to find a present for him quickly, but also keep it a secret until the day arrived, assuming he found anything suitable at all. And Marco was always so bloody observant and could tell instantly when Ace was up to something. How the hell was he going to keep this a secret?

"Shit…"

* * *

By the time dinner rolled around, Ace found himself no further forward with his sudden dilemma over Marco's birthday. Having finished a smaller portion of food than he was used to consuming, the second division commander had wandered back outside, and taken to sitting on the edge of the Moby Dick's figurehead. Many of her crew were out enjoying the much needed shore leave, and from his position on the bow Ace could hear the distinct laughter of at least four of his fellow commanders. He however was in no real mood for a party.

The sky above him was slowly morphing from soft hues of purple and orange to a deep soothing blue, with the first few stars just beginning to twinkle as day gave way to night. Ace moved his gaze from the bustling town towards the open sea, scanning the growing darkness for even the faintest glimmer of phoenix flames. He wanted Marco back.

"Damn pineapple bird head," He grumbled petulantly - Marco hated that nickname, but it didn't stop Ace from using it out of the other's hearing. "What's taking him so long?"

A low rumbling chuckle from behind brought him out of his thoughts, accompanied by heavy footsteps that could only belong to one person on the ship. Turning his head, Ace glanced back over his shoulder and was greeted with the sight of his captain and father.

"Oyaji."

Whitebeard's grin, beneath his famous moustache that gave their mark its unique appearance, lit up the old man's face even in the dimming light of the setting sun, and he looked down at Ace with amused adoration.

"You seem troubled my son," he ventured a guess, stopping at the edge of the bow. "Want to offload it on your old man? A problem shared is a problem halved."

Ace blinked up at him, feeling a pleasant fluttering sensation in his chest at the old captain's words. It was always nice to hear that he was cared for by his crew, his _family_ , and having Whitebeard himself come up to check on him made Ace feel valued beyond measure. He really had found a wonderful home here with the Yonko and his crew. Ace could talk to them about anything without fear of judgement or dismissal; they had made it possible for the freckled young man to find a place where he belonged, and he would be forever grateful for that.

He watched as the great man he'd dedicated his life to sat down beside him, a towering stature of power and comforting warmth that completely dwarfed him, and felt himself smile. "It's not so much that I'm troubled Oyaji," he began, turning back towards the town. "I've just got something I need to find and only a limited amount of time to do it."

"Oh?" Whitebeard asked curiously. "And what would that be Ace?"

The boy let out a soft sigh, slipping his hat back from his head and letting it dangle by the cord round his neck. "Marco's birthday is tomorrow," he said, knowing this would not be news to Whitebeard. "I kinda don't have a gift for him yet, and if I don't get him one I'll feel really guilty."

"Ah. I wondered if Marco had something to do with it," Whitebeard mused, using a large finger to ruffle Ace's black hair. "I'd noticed you seemed a bit down these past few days."

Ace smiled beneath the attention, playfully batting the finger away with his hands. "If I made you worry I didn't mean to," he said. "I've just never been very good at getting people presents. Luffy was easy; all I had to do was buy him meat or some weird object to keep him amused. But Marco…" He trailed off with a faint blush, scratching at his cheek with a finger. "He's special in a different way."

Whitebeard chuckled again, giving Ace a moment to get his bashfulness under control - the boy could be quite shy at times, despite what many seemed to believe. "So you want to get him a special gift that will stand out from what others might buy him, is that it?"

Ace nodded enthusiastically. "Not just any old thing. I spoke to some of the guys earlier, but they suggested typical birthday stuff like booze and cake." He shook his head at that.

Whitebeard birthday parties always contained an overwhelming amount of both those things, neither of which Ace was particularly fussed about - he didn't have much of a sweet tooth most of the time, and too much alcohol messed up his narcolepsy something awful, so he always had to be extra careful.

"Izo had a pretty good idea about buying him another sash, but I know you got him the one he already has and he wears it all the time. I wouldn't want him to think I was trying to replace it."

He smiled a little, recalling some of the times he'd found Marco carefully folding his beloved blue sash like it was the most precious thing in the world. Thank goodness it was made of such durable material - from Wano Country if memory served - as Ace had nearly set it on fire a few times, only to discover it was flame retardant! No simple sash from a small market stall could ever hope to replace something as impressive as that.

Whitebeard smiled. "That's considerate of you Ace. I'm sure there must be other options though, if you look hard enough. Did you get a chance to try finding anything here in town?"

The second division commander wobbled his hand back and forth, giving his shoulders a light shrug. "Sort of. But nothing really jumped out at me as something Marco would like. He's not one for carrying many worldly possessions. I saw some nice ornamental belts, but he's already got one of those too."

He sighed, flopping forward and dropping his head into one hand, leaning his elbow on a propped up knee. "I never really thought about it before, but present buying is hard work." He couldn't help but sulk a little. "At this rate I won't find anything for him in time."

Beside him Whitebeard let out a soft chuckle. "I'm sure something will come to you in time Ace," he spoke. "I have faith in you."

The boy beside him couldn't help but smile. "Hopefully you're right. Thanks Oyaji."

* * *

Marco let out an exhausted sigh as he wandered down the quiet corridor towards his cabin, having to work hard not to trail his feet as he went. The last few days had been long and demanding, but reaped the benefits of establishing a new alliance with another pirate crew.

Marco was a skilled negotiator, and with his ability of flight it made him an obvious choice for these particular missions whenever they popped up. Even amongst the commanders Whitebeard only trusted a select few with such an important task, and Marco came out right at the top of the list. He was glad to finally be home though.

Having stopped off in the galley to grab a bite to eat, the blonde had scribbled out a quick report for Oyaji to read in the morning, before heading to the commanders' showers and scrubbing away the day's grime from his skin.

Now clean and feeling a bit more relaxed, all Marco could think about was collapsing into his bed and sleeping until he woke - Vista had very kindly offered to take over his responsibilities the following morning, in order to give the phoenix a break. The knowledge that a certain raven haired fire starter would be waiting in the bed for him spurred the blonde on a little faster.

His door opened with a creak under his heavy hand, and as Marco slipped in he was immediately bathed in the soft glow of an oil lamp. The tiny flame flickered lazily in its glass housing, rising and falling gently with each breath of the person in the bed.

Marco blinked, his tired eyes taking in the new layout of his room; Ace had finally followed through with his threat it seemed to rearrange the cabin to his liking, and everything was swapped around and unfamiliar. Beyond the point of caring, Marco took the towel hanging round his neck and gave his damp hair one last scrub over, before chucking the towel onto his chair to be dealt with in the morning.

Kicking off his sandals, the blonde padded across the smooth wooden floor, and caught the top sheet between his fingers. A tattooed back faced him as Ace slumbered peacefully, and Marco found himself unable to resist dropping a soft kiss to a bare shoulder, all the while carefully slipping his body into the bed.

The mattress felt like a cloud as his tired body came to rest upon it, warm with Ace's body heat and the covers holding his scent amongst their fabrics - it was all a huge comfort to Marco after spending such a long and tiring couple of days away from home. He almost fell asleep right there; his head hit his pillow like a dead weight.

The light movement however was enough to rouse Ace from his dreams. He woke quickly but calmly, immediately recognising the arm that had slipped over his waist and the light tickle of blonde hair against the back of his neck.

He turned over slowly beneath Marco's fatigue-heavy arm, lifting his own to delicately touch his boyfriend's cheek. It was great to have him back. "Okaeri."

Eyes fluttering open sleepily, Marco managed to crack a small smile and nuzzle into Ace's hand. "Tadaima," he whispered back. "Sorry I took so long yoi."

Ace smiled, inching closer to peck Marco lovingly on the lips. "It's okay. You're back now so it's all good." He tilted his head a fraction. "How did the meeting go?"

Marco shifted a little and drew in a deep breath, letting it out slowly before opening his eyes. Even though he was beyond the point of exhaustion, he could stay up just a bit longer and talk with Ace. His boyfriend's voice always helped to soothe him, and after the flight home in less than ideal weather conditions, he needed the help to relax.

"It was a success," he answered tiredly. "I wrote Oyaji a report, but basically the meet went without a hitch. The trip there and back was the worst part of it yoi."

"Well you're home safe now," Ace said, moving his fingers across Marco's skin and towards his hair. They paused just over the blonde's ear, fingertips brushing against the lobe, and Ace frowned curiously. "Do you have a piercing?" He asked, feeling for the first time a slight indent in his boyfriend's ear. He leaned up to peer at it closely in the lamp light.

"Used to," Marco mumbled, closing his eyes. "Had two of them years ago. You never noticed before?"

Ace shook his head, continuing to gently feel at Marco's ear - the blonde didn't seem to mind, probably because Ace was so gentle. "So how does that work with all healing blue flames then?" the freckled man asked. "When you got your ear pierced, didn't the holes just close up again straight away?"

Marco let out a small chuckle. "I can control what I heal and what I don't yoi," he explained in a quiet voice. "My flames can tell the difference between what's a threat and what's not."

Ace let out a small hum of interest at learning this new piece of information, and then a big smile suddenly broke out across his face - thankfully Marco was too sleepy to notice. The idea that Ace had been waiting for had finally come to him, and it took all of his willpower not to jump out of the bed then and there to go in search of his prize. He had to remind himself that none of the stalls in the market would be open at such a late hour.

"So why don't you wear earrings then?" he asked curiously, frowning and giving Marco's shoulder a light shake when he realised the blonde was dozing off. Maybe he didn't like wearing them after all, in which case Ace's new plan was doomed to fail already.

"Ace…" Marco whined, not very happy at being disturbed. "Lemme sleep yoi…"

"Please? Just tell me quickly," Ace begged.

A moment dragged past and then Marco drew in another deep breath, letting it out heavily as he started to get cranky. Normally he could function pretty well without much sleep, but once he reached a certain point he grew to resemble a dragon more than a phoenix, and a grumpy one at that.

"I lost them," he growled out, a frown creasing his forehead as he spoke through his teeth. "Never got new ones."

Ace's eyes lit up. "So you do like them then?"

"Ace!"

The fire user cringed a little and smiled apologetically. "Okay okay, I get it." Pulling his hand away, Ace pressed his lips to Marco's forehead, keeping them there until he felt the creases ease away as the first division commander relaxed again.

"I'll let you sleep now," Ace whispered, making himself comfortable against the other's body. Hearing Marco let out a grunt of acknowledgement, Ace flicked his fingers to snuff out the flame in the lamp, and settled down for the night with his boyfriend as darkness engulfed the room.

Now that he finally had an idea of what to get Marco for his birthday, he was really excited. He couldn't wait until morning so he could go looking for his gift. He just had to hope he'd be able to find it.

* * *

When the thick veil of sleep finally released Marco into the waking world the following day, it was already early afternoon. The first thing the blonde noticed as he blinked his drowsiness away was that he was sprawled across the bed in the most comfortable position he could imagine. The second thing was that he was alone.

"Ace?" he mumbled quietly, though he wasn't really expecting an answer. While Ace loved sleeping and could do so in the most awkward and unusual of places (thanks to his narcolepsy) he wasn't one for lazing around all day in bed. Marco wasn't either to be honest, but after his mission he'd more than needed the extra sleep.

Realising by the noise levels above deck that it must be at least lunchtime, the first division commander hauled himself out of bed and moved to get dressed. It took him a minute to orientate himself and locate his chest of drawers, thanks to Ace's little switch-around of every piece of furniture in the room. Luckily his clothes were still where Marco had left them, even if the drawers themselves had been moved, allowing Marco to dress without any further delay.

Wrapping his beloved blue sash around his hips and attaching the golden belt, Marco had a brief glance at himself in the small wall mirror before leaving his cabin and heading up on deck. Stepping out into the fresh air and sunlight he paused, taking a moment to enjoy being back on the Moby Dick, before he was ambushed by a whole bunch of his brothers.

"Happy birthday Marco!" they all chorused, and there was even some confetti thrown over him from the railings above.

"Morning sleepyhead," Izo greeted, while Thatch insisted upon blowing a party horn right in his ear. "We've been waiting for ages - it's about time you got up."

Marco winced at the loud noise and shook confetti from his hair, dusting it down off his shoulders and to the planking. "I'm beginning to wish I hadn't," he commented, but smiled anyway at his crewmates. "But thank you yoi," he added genuinely. "I'd actually forgotten my own birthday."

"Well it's a good thing we didn't," Thatch laughed, slinging an arm round Marco's shoulders. "Wait until you see your cake. I went all out this year! And we've got a big feast organised as well, so I hope you're hungry."

Marco nodded, finding himself suddenly being swept away by all of his excited crewmembers, who were no doubt desperate to get at the food and start partying. Feeling just a tad overwhelmed, Marco ducked out from under Thatch's arm and actually managed to slip away from the group, watching with amusement as they continued on into the galley unhindered.

Letting out a sigh of relief, he turned as he heard a familiar chuckle, and saw Whitebeard sitting in his chair at the centre circle of the deck. Marco loved his brothers and it meant a lot to him that they'd arranged a party for him (like they needed an excuse) but right now he wasn't quite ready for the inevitable chaos that would follow. A chance to talk with his father however sounded far more appealing, so he wandered across the deck and approached the man.

"Did you get my report Oyaji?" He asked, resting a hand casually on his hip as he stopped before Whitebeard's chair.

The large man nodded, leaning forward and ruffling Marco's hair with a finger, much the same as he'd done with Ace the previous night. "I did, and I'm proud of you for seeing the mission through to the end. Welcome home Marco, and happy birthday my son."

Smiling under the gentle attention of such a powerful man, Marco basked in it for a moment and let out a small chuckle. "Thanks Oyaji," he replied as Whitebeard sat back again. "By the way, do you know where Ace is? He wasn't around when I woke up, and I didn't see him with the others."

The corners of Whitebeard's eyes crinkled with his smile. "He had a small errand to run this morning and took off into town, but he promised me he'd be back in time for the party."

"Oh, okay," Marco replied, wondering what Ace might be up to. It wasn't like him to run off unannounced, but so long as he was okay then Marco saw no point in worrying. "In that case I guess I'll just head through and-"

"Marco!"

"Speak of the devil," Whitebeard smiled, turning his head just in time to see Ace come running back up onto the ship. A small paper bag was held in one of his hands with its handles looped round the fire user's wrist, and Whitebeard quickly realised that Ace must finally have found a suitable gift for Marco.

The phoenix however remained oblivious of that fact, and was almost bowled over by such an enthusiastic greeting; Ace literally _threw_ himself at him.

"Happy birthday! Sorry I wasn't there when you woke up, but I wanted to get you your present."

Marco chuckled and looped his arms round Ace's waist once he'd recovered his balance, vaguely aware of Whitebeard getting to his feet behind them and passing towards the galley. "So that's what you were up to yoi," the blonde mused, smiling as Ace continued to hold onto him for a few seconds longer than normal. "I did wonder."

Dropping back down from his toes and pulling away just enough to look Marco in the eyes, Ace gave him one of the brightest smiles the phoenix had ever seen. "Well this is your first birthday since we've been together, so obviously I wanted to get you something."

He took the bag off from round his wrist and held it up for Marco to take. "I hope you like it. I didn't really know what to get you at first so that's why I only bought it today. You're difficult to buy for."

Chuckling as he saw a blush starting to appear on Ace's cheeks, Marco accepted the bag with a quiet thank you and looked inside. There was a small box inside that looked to contain some kind of jewellery, and Marco glanced quickly at Ace before pulling it out.

"I hope you didn't spend too much money on me yoi. You should save up for yourself instead."

"I've got enough saved," Ace told him, taking the bag and burning it in his hand as a distraction. "Besides, you're worth it."

Marco couldn't help but smile at that comment, and carefully pried open the box lid to reveal its contents. His guess had been right about jewellery, and a vague sleepy memory from the previous night suddenly made far more sense to him. Two small gold hoop earrings were set in the cushion of the box, and immediately caught the sun's light as Marco held them up to get a closer look. Pure gold of the finest quality, they glinted brilliantly within their casing.

"I figured you could wear them both in one ear," Ace mumbled, anxious to hear what Marco thought of his gift and hoping it was enough. "While you were sleeping I kinda checked your other ear and saw you've only got the left one done. So if they haven't healed over…"

A pair of strong arms wrapped tightly around him, drawing Ace immediately into Marco's firm chest. He blinked in surprise, having partly convinced himself that he'd screwed up with his choice of gift, then relaxed into the embrace and closed his eyes.

"Thank you yoi," Marco murmured in his boyfriend's ear, turning his lips to kiss him on the temple. "They're perfect."

Ace felt his chest swell with pride and relief, sinking more into Marco's arms and wrapping his own around the blonde in turn. "You're welcome. Like I said you're worth it, and I figured they'd suit you."

Smiling happily as Ace pulled away, Marco carefully removed the earrings from their box and lifted them towards his ear. After a moment of brief fiddling, they both slipped easily through his old piercings, and he checked that they were securely fastened. Once he was sure of that, he pulled his hands away and turned his head so that Ace could see them better.

"How do they look yoi?"

The fire user grinned widely and nodded. "Like they belong there."

"Perfect," Marco replied, and then he leaned down and brought their lips together.

Ace let out a quiet sound of surprise, since Marco wasn't usually one for such public displays of affection (though in this case the deck was empty) before relaxing and kissing the blonde back contentedly.

When they finally pulled apart a moment later, Ace caught his breath and gripped the front of Marco's open shirt. He nipped his bottom lip and giggled excitedly. "Come on. Let's go and get this party started. Everyone is waiting."

"I know that yoi," Marco murmured huskily, smirked as he saw Ace shiver. "But can't I keep you to myself for just a little longer?"

A cheeky grin appeared on Ace's lips, accompanied by a devilish flash in his eyes. "There'll be plenty of time for that later," he promised, sliding his hands slowly up Marco's chest. "I've got another birthday gift for you, but that one is definitely for our room only."

Marco swallowed and tried not to think too much into that sentence. "I like the sound of that already."

Chuckling at the look on his boyfriend's face, Ace linked their hands together and started pulling him towards the galley. They entered to a cheer from the crew and more blasted confetti and party horns, but Marco laughed along with everyone else as music started from the band and Thatch opened the buffet.

Ace scampered off to get food, having been left starving following his hunt through town for Marco's gift, and the first division commander was quickly joined by some of the others as Izo noticed the pair of gleaming rings in his left ear.

Marco took all of the attention in his stride and allowed himself to get swept up into the party spirit, every now and then lifting a hand to touch his new earrings. The warm smooth metal was comforting and felt right beneath his fingertips, and he made the decision then and there to never take them out. Like his beloved sash that had been gifted to him by Oyaji, his earrings from Ace were a part of him now, and reminded him of how much he was loved.

Marco had had many great birthdays, but this one was turning out to be the best yet.

* * *

 **I hope you guys enjoyed this. Sorry if it's not as fluid as my other writing - I finished this at 3am. Please drop me a review if you liked it, and I'll start work on number 4.**


End file.
